Healing of Children and Adolescents Exposed to Trauma and Violence

Shavers, Clarissa Agee

Monday, 18 November 2013

Clarissa Agee Shavers, DNSc, WHNP-BC, RN, TRECOS-Fellow
Principal Investigator and Program Director, The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project, Primary Care Office, Detroit, MI
Cynthia A. Archer-Gift, PhD, EdSpC, MSN, BSN
Faculty Health Sciences and Nursing, University of Phoenix Southfield Campus, Michigan, Southfield, MI
Lisa M. Green, MA, LLPC, LBSW, HS-BCP
The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project Research Team, Ambassador Counseling & Resource Group, LLC, Ambassador Youth Initiative, Southgate, MI
Judee E. Onyskiw, RN, PhD
Faculty of Health and Community Studies, MacEwan College, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Meryl Price, PhD
Faculty of Medical Sciences,School of Advanced Nursing Education, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to state the scientific aim of The Safer Tomorrows Project for assisting with the healing of traumatized and victimized youth.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to identify the components of The Safer Tomorrows Project Case Management Research Practice Model.

Purpose: In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Community Health, New Center Community Mental Health Services of Detroit, MI, the Primary Care Office in Detroit, MI, as well as, with other Partners, Volunteers, Collaborating Agencies and Organizations, The Safer Tomorrows: Injury Prevention and Violence Reduction Project^© is identifying children and adolescents who self-report or who are at-risk and who may or may not be at-risk for exposure to trauma and violence in their lives. The purpose of the evidence-based intervention/program is to assist this population of children, adolescents, and families by identifying services and programs to improve their overall health and well-being. Similarly, we plan to proactively promote the healing of this population.

Methods: One of the proposed significant methods is The Safer Tomorrows Project Case Management Research Practice Model^©. This model consists of a structured format which addresses the issues of (1) safety nets for children and adolescents who may need immediate, acute, short or long term multidisciplinary health care services, (2) access to services, resources, and programs, (3) coordination of services with local multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary community-based professionals and volunteers, and (4) global health education around the themes of injury prevention, violence reduction, and healthy peaceful conflict evidence-based strategies.

Results: Children and adolescents exposed to trauma and violence may report mild-moderate-severe psycho-social-emotional, physical and mental health problems.

Conclusion: Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary health care professionals or providers and volunteers are called to help promote the healing of children, adolescents and families who self-report or who are at risk and who may or may not be at-risk for exposure to trauma and violence. The Safer Tomorrows Project^© is trying to confront and alleviate these disparate health care, economic, and social justice issues for this population.

See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Posters Session 2
See more of: Oral Paper & Poster: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions